Seven Holy Founders

These three gifts and traits flow from the Servite Order and through Servite High School. Like the Formation Themes, students should encounter the charism frequently and use them to view and understand their Servite experience.

Fraternity: This gift is most recognizable in the Servite brotherhood. It is lived through love and respect of the other, creating unity from diversity. Fraternity reflects the relationships of the Trinity and leads to lifelong friendships.

Service: Servites are ultimately servants. In particular, Servites are called to serve the poor, the sick, and the outcast. This is done quietly and humbly in the manner of Christ.

Devotion to Mary: Mary is the first disciple. She loved Jesus above all else and was loyal to Him, even standing at the foot of the cross. She is our model of courage and willingness to answer God’s call. We look to Mary at the Foot of the Cross as our model of hope during suffering.

1. Moved by divine grace they decided to come together to live and save their souls by a life of continual penance and prayer. We can learn to live together though we have differences among us.

2. They decided to keep absolutely nothing for themselves when they came together, so they gave their families whatever was needed, and the rest went to the poor and to various churches. We can learn to help the poor and needy around us.

3. They disposed of their expensive clothes and for the first time all dressed in simply cloaks and tunic of gray cloth. We can learn to live simplicity and sacrifice.

4. They learned to please God and him alone during the long nights and days they spent in prayer. We can learn to grow in our spiritual life giving important to prayer.

5. They avoided the worldly company and people instead the Churches or secluded holy places to be with them and God. Take time to be with you and God in silence.

6. Finally, the Seven then admitted others to their group and changed their way of life. The example and inspiration of the Seven to serve God and Our Lady inspired devoted men and women to seek a similar lifestyle.

At present, men and women Servants of Mary are found on all continents, and in a wide variety of lifestyle: friars, brothers, sisters, and Servite secular order, as well as other form of lay groups.

They were living in a family like you. They did their daily work in houses, on farms and in the cloth selling business. In 1233, the city of Florence was torn with political strife and moral life was low and religion seemed meaningless. “Let all religious spread through the whole world the good news of Christ by the integrity of their faith, their love for God and neighbor, their devotion to the Cross and their hope of future glory. Thus, religious communities will experience a daily growth in number and will yield a richer harvest of fruits that bring salvation” (Vatican II). Among these split realities, these Seven prominent men left their homes and professions and went into solitude for a life directly given to God and his kingdom.

Their desire to serve God eventually led them to form a community outside the city walls. About the year 1245 they moved to Monte Senario and formed the first community and lived a monastic life. They led a life of prayer, work and silence. They laid the foundations of the Servite Order. The foundation they laid grew and spread throughout the whole world. They are named as “Seven Holy Founders” the only religious order in the Catholic Church a group of men having its foundation or origin. They were canonized together in 1888 by Pope Leo XIII. This month we celebrate the 792 anniversary of the Order and 137 anniversary of the canonization of the founders. Let us look back at our history and imitate our founders.

Following the Seven Holy Founders model of living together in a community, we live a community life, dedicate ourselves for the service of God and people. We follow the “Rule of St. Augustine and the Constitutions of the Servite Order. They dedicated themselves to Mary, the Sorrowful Mother who modeled a life of hospitality and compassion. Legenda de Origine chapter 9 says, “in this place (Monte Senario), outside the walls of Florence: the people had great respect for them. Seeing their well-balanced love for God, themselves, and neighbor, both men and women visited them daily, seeking their help or looking for instruction in their words and example, asking of them prayer or spiritual direction.”

These religious men, the first fathers of our Order, while still living at home, were united to God through love of the supernatural life and did more than dedicate themselves to the broader kind of divine worship. They loved God above all else, they oriented absolutely everything they did towards him. They honored him in every thought, word and deed.